15,000 Members and Prospects - Gone in 60 Seconds

15,000 active group members. Years of valuable discussions. Thriving engagement.

Shut down in 60 seconds without warning.

This is what happened to a client’s Facebook group.

Facebook's bots falsely flagged a post and immediately killed the group. Many of these 15,000 weren’t members of the organisations - this group had successfully become the first point of contact for many potential members. The brutal twist? No way to contact them to explain what happened or where to find them next.

Three weeks of bureaucratic warfare later, Facebook restored the group. But here's what most member-based organisations refuse to see: this wasn't a mistake - it was a warning shot.

This client is still hosting their community on Facebook.

Why? Because the hassle of moving today feels more painful than the risk of losing everything tomorrow.

The rental trap

You're not building community on Facebook (or LinkedIn, Instagram, etc). You're renting space in someone else's building where they control the locks, the rent, and the demolition schedule. At any moment, they can make a change and it can cost you big time.

It’s not just alleged “policy breaches”. Facebook changed its algorithm in 2023 and referral traffic "fell off a cliff", reportedly dropping up to 90%. In recent weeks, LinkedIn made changes to its algorithm also, with reach falling 50%. 

A business model built entirely around a single external platform is inherently vulnerable to that platform's changing priorities, technical issues, and business decisions.

Is that vulnerability in your risk register?

The lesson for member-based organisations

You cannot depend on third-party platforms. They are good for growing awareness, but should never be relied upon to facilitate community.

It's why platforms such as Circle, Higher Logic, social.plus and many others are becoming increasingly popular and necessary. Not only do they turn you from a tenant to an owner,* they deliver a superior experience for your members, too. 

Next steps

Don't wait for your own eviction notice.

Audit the platforms where your members experience online community. Ask yourself: "If this were shut down or changed tomorrow, what would be the impact?"

* Yes, you pay to use these platforms, but they're motivated to keep you happy. Facebook's motivated to keep advertisers happy.